Nice to hear about the progress of spring/summer in Wisconsin. It’s been a drawn-out affair here too. Lots of cool, cloudy weather lately, but the silver lining of those clouds is that the chill sure does keep the starch in the blossoms.

I love the physical exercise of it the cyclical nature of it and how an hour spent outside makes the inside-my-head work of writing seem like not such a big deal.. Critiquing has been like a free workshop on what makes some poems powerful and others ineffective.

Thank you, Linda! I really enjoyed writing this poem. My dad died quite a few years ago and for some reason I don’t have many sharp memories of him. So when I’ve been able to do something with the ones I have, I count it a real blessing.

Love this poem, Violet. I especially like the lines:
“Lightning from his welder
like brain synapses
crackled creations into being.”
Shows what a true artist/craftsman your father was. Happy New Year! =)

Wonderful Mary Lee! Some wise poet advice I read recently spoke of how important it is for writers to revisit their roots, as in childhood memories, locations, and people. I find when I do that, it is cathartic, healing and has a wonderful feeling of rightness to it.